Your LoFix #14 – sampling the golden era
Welcome to The LoFix, a column to share some LoFi & Chill Hop that I’ve recently discovered and love. Giving you that fix of chill; something we all need regularly. And if you’re feeling the tracks, do share them with your friends.
I’m a huge 90s Hip-Hop fan so this LoFix is a homage to the golden era. Expect to hear some of your favourite rap vocals or artists that have been sampled by some incredibly talented producers into chilled beats.
A super smooth piano kicks off this ‘Jazzy’ track and fine production from Emapea. Any Hip-Hop head will recognise the subtle vocal from the legend that is Q-Tip and taken from A Tribe Called Quest‘s ‘Verses from the Abstract’, providing the fitting hook to break up the jazzy sounds. Nothing is overused or done in this stripped back tune, letting each sound showcase its beauty and mixed together perfectly. Emapea has crafted a beautiful sound and someone I wish played live as the laptop speakers don’t give them justice.
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve listened to this song, Spotify does remind me yearly as it’s always near the top in my ‘Spotify Wrapped’ and I’ll never get bored of this one. As soon as 1995 kicks in it will transport you back to the golden era of hip-hop with Kanye‘s impeccable flow and the soulful hook of Slum Village that breaks up the track perfectly. CoryaYo is a prolific beat maker, his fat drum beats and smooth chords will have you head bopping daily so be sure to check out his other tracks for some boom bap brilliance.
Dela drops something a bit different to the other tracks in this selection, going straight into the instrumental with no build up… The artist wastes no time with getting us ready for the famous Notorious BIG lyrics. Using pretty much the whole vocal from Party & Bullshit, which I find myself aggressively rapping along to every time I hear it and a catchy horn sound that sticks with me after listening. The track is taken from Dela’s ‘Atmosphere Airlines Vol.2‘ album that features the likes of Aloe Blacc, Talib Kweli & J-Live!
The Smokin Buddha track eases in with it’s warm bass introduction and kick, for any fan of Method Man & Redman’s ‘How High’ film, this is the song for you. Using their famous hook from the film’s theme song will get you instantly singing along to “Look up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane (It’s the Funk Doctor Spock smokin’ buddah on the train)”. How High? Sometimes I find myself asking this question after a good blazing session to the album this beat features on, be sure to check out The All Boom album.
The tune kicks in with style and grace, a well polished piano and drums to follow that gives the background for the 90s flavour that Sudakillah, Phil Tyler & Bubbles have created. The vinyl scratching goes in unison with the multiple vocal samples that fit together, making it sound like they took this from one song… making it even more special when you realise they’ve pieced together themselves. Throw your hands up in the air like Big Poppa and ‘to all my people’ make sure you check out the Kick a Dope Verse! label that is providing many gems like this and if you can guess the vocal samples used, drop me a line on Instagram to win some Ol Wallace stickers!
